Therapy Horse Dies After Oakdale Theft

OAKDALE, Calif. (CBS13) — A therapy horse was killed after metal thieves tore down a pasture fence, allowing some of the animals to wander near a busy highway, authorities said.

An unknown number of suspects cut down a gate at the Daley Training and Learning Center, an organization that helps special needs children, allowing six horses to wander free, according to Laura Daley.

The horses traveled about a half mile from the pasture before reaching Highway 108, and all but one of the animals were able to cross the road safely. Calvin, a quarterhorse, was struck by a casino tour bus and died from his injuries. No passengers on the bus were harmed.

Daley said it would cost thousands of dollars to get another horse, but impossible to replace the good Calvin did for children. The stolen scrap metal likely only netted a couple hundred dollars for the suspects.

“He had such a good heart for the kids,” she said. “I’m angry at the blatant disregard of other people.”

Daley has set up a reward fund and online push to convince any witnesses to turn in the suspects.

“Some of the kids gave me their change, it made me cry,” she added. “The girl riding with me today did yard work, she pulled weeds to donate to Calvin’s fund.”

As a horse lover I am saddened. I cant even afford to own one. Come on people , Yes they are just animals and all that but have a heart . Whom ever stole the fenceing ,you are the ones who should be horse whipped. Whipped with a wet horse whip. Someone knows some thing. Speak up for the horse who could not speak for it’s self. Recyclers be on the look out. The people of Oakdale are pretty wonderful. My sister lives their.

Yes, did you? I can’t believe the direction the comments have gone on this story. Somebody (white, mexican, black, WHOEVER) stole fencing and killed a horse, someones propperty. We had thieves when the economy was good too, HELLO, the prisons have been full for YEARS!! I’m not defending the government or Obama, but c’mon people.. save your political comments for something related to them. Sheesh!

Yeah, Mexico would be a good place to sit with our cannons of every callibre. But, fool, there are people woo’ve never left Kansas City, Omaha, Chicago, New Orleans, wherever, who will steal the shoes off your feet if they can make a buck.

So, everyone is supposed to become a vigilante? My nieghborhood watch has done more to deter criminal activities with baseball bats, slashed tires on get-away-cars, even a few broken hands. Oh, and attorney Green in Brownsville, what was that you called me again?

Arline, you are a major jerk! I’ve spent time to get to know people from a variety of areas because of business and Oakdale people are very descent giving of themselves. In comparsion to some of the other cities and towns it’s one that has a sense of community, something people like you would not understand. This story is more than about a loss of a beloved horse who has helped so many children it’s about hte growing crime of metal theft, something that needs to be addressed because it’s becoming a real problem between the copper and iron theft there is real damage being done. So Arline do something positive as you set behind your screen hiding from the world being an a……, write about this problem. But I guess it’s more about being a trolle, isn’t?

guys, there’s these things called cars. people travel in them. Maayyybeee these thieves traveled (in their cars) to the farm, stole what they stole, and bounced to their town? here’s the key component to this article; Unknown suspects.

Those who are judging the people of Oakdale based on this incident are just d-bags who make immediate assumptions about things they read about. Losers is what I like to call them.

Thats because they are Mexican. Only ones too stupid to rip-off a steel fence worth 10 cents a pound and the only Racists are Democrate that force Mexicans on you to rape murder and kill Americans! reguardless of where their from. Round them up and get rid of them.